Mufti pushes for Musharraf's offer

New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to initiate serious discussion with various political parties on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's offer of self-rule and enhanced autonomy to the strife-torn state.

Sayeed, who met the Prime Minister in New Delhi before leaving for New York to attend the UN General assembly session, called for increasing the role of state police in tackling militancy and reducing the involvement of the Army and para-military force task in counter-insurgency operations.

He told the Prime Minister that the present situation in the state was not conducive for finding a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue. ''The present status quo is not acceptable to the people and the Government should initiate serious dialogue with political parties on Pakistan's offer of self rule and autonomy,'' he said.

The former chief minister favoured a joint mechanism to deal with problems between Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir specially natural disasters and other non-political issues.

Welcoming the formation of a joint mechanism to fight terrorism between the two countries, Sayeed said, ''This is a very encouraging and bold step taken by the leadership of the two countries and it demonstrates that they are willing to tackle the menace seriously.''

He urged the Prime Minister to involve all separatist groups in the peace process. The separatists have boycotted two Roundtable conferences on Kashmir, convened by the Prime Minister to discuss the various aspects of the Kashmir issue. ''Seperatists should become a part of the confidence building measures,'' Sayeed further added.

The two leaders discussed a range of issues, including the steps taken by the Government to restore peace in the insurgency-hit state. Sayeed said the Prime Minister should immediately appoint a Chaiman of the Centre-State Committee, announced by Manmohan Singh at the second Roundtable conference.

The Committee has been empowered to look into Centre-State ties in the context of Article 370 of the Constitution.

Mufti also wanted the Government to allow a safe passage to about 2000 Kashmiri youths stranded across the border for several years.

Referring to the liberalisation in travel guidelines across the LoC, he said journalists and other professionals should also be allowed to cross over through the LoC.